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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2013

Governor Quinn Announces $47 Million Investment in Cook County Area Hospitals Investment to Create Jobs and Improve Local Health Care; Includes $3.5 Million for Mercy Hospital Patient Tower Renovation

CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today announced $47 million in investments in Cook County area hospitals as part of the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program. The investments will create jobs and address the critical needs of local hospitals that serve a large number of the state’s most in-need patients.

Today’s announcement follows Governor Quinn’s recent signing of a law that enacted the largest increase in health insurance coverage in state history, one of the Governor’s 2013 legislative priorities.

“These Cook County hospitals serve the health care needs of some of the state’s most in-need residents,” Governor Quinn said. “These investments create hundreds of good construction jobs while helping these hospitals provide better service to the thousands of patients they serve every single day.”

The investments announced today include $3.5 million to Mercy Hospital, the site of today’s event, to renovate their patient tower.

“We are pleased to receive these critical grant funds that will be used to continue our patient tower renovation and enhance the patient care experience for all those that we serve each day,” Mercy Hospital President and CEO Carol Schneider said.

“These grants will greatly help Mount Sinai and Holy Cross Hospitals, both part of Sinai Health System, create necessary and vital improvements,” Sinai Health System President and CEO Alan Channing said. “Each hospital is a critical part of the Illinois healthcare safety net and will make excellent use of this funding to better care for patients in challenged communities.”